National Day of Prayer-2020

The National Day of Prayer is today, May 7th. We will be joining believers across our Nation in prayer for our Nation and world. Every soul born into this world has been created to give glory to God, along with His creation. Habakkuk 2:14 is the verse chosen to represent this day of prayer. It reads: “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

There is no greater knowledge than knowing that we have been reconciled to our Creator thru His Son Jesus Christ. Just as prayer is not confined to a single day, the Gospel is not confined to boundaries that we attempt to establish. May the Good News of Jesus Christ fill this earth to the Glory of God. Our congregation will unite in a time of thanksgiving and prayer via Zoom. We have an earnest desire to return to fellowship in person, yet we are thankful to have the means to be together around the Word of Life. May all believers be united in singleness of heart and may the mind of Christ.

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.  For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”  (Philippians 2: 1-18)

  We thank you Dear Father as we gather on this National Day of Prayer for our Nation and for all of Nations of the earth.  We thank you first of all for the Gift of Your Son Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us through His suffering, death and resurrection, and restored us in relationship to you.  We thank you that because of His work on our behalf, we can approach you as our Dear Father and that we might know the abundant life You offer through Him. May we glorify You in our hearts and lives.  We come together as a Congregation and a Nation to pray for every individual in the world.  May we lay hold of the Word that Jesus proclaimed and is recorded in the 3rd Chapter of John the 16th and 17th verses: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”  May this message reach out across the lands.  We unite our hearts and minds in praying for your Glory to spread across our lands.  We pray that all  the world would come to new birth and to see Your Kingdom of Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.  We acknowledge our sins and seek Your pardon and forgiveness. May you work humility in us, that we may seek Your divine Will and thereby Glorify you in all that we do.

In praying for the Church:

  We pray that our churches would be “Houses of Prayer” throughout the week, in and through the lives of every believer.  May they be reopened after this time of closure due to the Covid 19 pandemic, with a renewed purpose in every heart to honor and praise your Name and may we live to according to your Word, that we may bring your Glory to light in this world we live.  We pray for all Pastors, that they would be rooted in the Word and would seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things pertaining to their lives and ministry.  May their marriages and families be supported in love and be strengthen to share in the message of the Gospel.  May all Pastors preach the Word in Spirit and in Truth and may they live by your Word.  We pray for the members of the church and that all believers will understand that they have been called, and may they receive the courage to pray, love and share the Gospel in whatever mission field they have been placed, to live, work, play, learn, and worship.

We thank You for Governments:

  We pray for our leaders and elected officials, that they would serve with humility and justice, according to Your Will.  That the true Light would shine and truth would be sought out in all of the meetings, planning and decisions that are made.  May they find common ground in truth and honesty to put aside political differences for the good of our country and people they serve.  May they live according to our motto “In God we trust”.  May they all come to know the peace that Your Son Jesus Christ brings and that true Peace is found only in Him.

We thank You for families:

  We ask that you would strengthen marriages, so husbands and wives may remain faithful to each other, that we may grow in devotion to you and one another, and that we remain in your Covenant of love.  We pray that we would respect each other and raise our children in Your nurture and admonition.  Strengthen our families by teaching us how to pray, enkindle a desire for reading and study of your Word, that we might encourage one another in faith, love, truth, and Hope.  We pray that children would be nurtured and grow up in homes that are safe and that they would be respected and learn respect. May Jesus be the center of their lives, and in our homes.  We ask that You would heal all that have suffered from abuse and heal the wounds of abandonment and neglect.  May every person know they are loved, and may they come to know Jesus, who came to love, heal and forgive.  May we all know the altar of forgiveness found in the suffering of Your Son Jesus Christ, who shed His life Blood that we would know your great Love and Grace, and that we might live in the forgiveness of our sins.

We thank you for our schools:

  We pray that every student and educator may know Proverb 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  May they know the fear that embodies love and respect of You, that they might seek You, and the wonderful wisdom and instruction, only you can bring.  May every institution of learning be a safe place, and may You bring not only intellectual growth, but the spiritual guidance of the Holy Spirit.  May the true Light, Jesus Christ, light of every student and educator that they may come to know the wonder and beauty of what You have created.  Bring guidance and direction to the administrators and decision makers to make sound decisions and look to serve the students and parents in every area of education.  We pray that every campus would allow clubs and groups that serve to strengthen and encourage believing students, and Glorify You.

We thank You for businesses:

  We ask for you to bring guidance and wisdom to the business owners.  May the owners and management use Godly principles and practices to run their businesses with equity.  May each employee know they are valued and that their worth is more than monetary, that they might work unto You first and foremost, using their skills to Glorify You and bring success to their endeavors.  May every school, workplace, store, office, factory, and place of business be filled with individuals that are praying and living out their faith in Jesus with love and respect.

We thank You for our Military:

  Guard safe all of those that serve in our Armed Forces both at home and abroad.  May they be well trained and equipped physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Be with their families financially, emotionally and spiritually also that they may support each other in times of stress and anxiety.  Be with their chain of command that good decisions and sound judgment would be used in stationing and deployment of our service members.  May all that serve know just how near You truly are.

We thank you for the media:

  We pray for those that work in the media of our country and across the world, as they convey the events that take place.  Bring a desire to report and broadcast with all honesty and truth, bringing to us factual information.  May they know that we are praying for them, and may we earnestly pray for them that Your Love would be known and You Glorified.  May they use the skills that You have provided to share the news of this land in the light of unity and not division.  May this time of National crisis become a time of bringing us together as a One Nation under God, through their assistance.

Health Care Workers and Frontline Workers:

  We bring before you all of those that serve in healthcare, the First Responders, the Doctors, Nurses and Aides, all of those that work in the hospitals and clinics, and all of the supporting staff in the healthcare industry.  Keep them safe and bring to us a resolution to these difficult times.  Bring wisdom to those working on the testing and development of vaccines to help control, not only Covid 19, but also the diseases that trouble our bodies and souls.  Protect those that serve us in the business’s and services we depend on for our sustenance and welfare.  Help us to understand the risks and adhere to the guidelines that help protect them from contracting this dangerous illness.

We thank you Dear Heavenly Father, that you have given us the freedom to worship without fear of reprisal.  We ask you to preserve this and create in our hearts a thankfulness for all of the blessings we have been given.  Give comfort and strength as we share in the sorrow of those that have lost loved ones and be with those that are dealing with health concerns.  Unite us in charity which is the bond of perfectness, that we might serve one another with joy.  Hear us as we pray the most perfect prayer that Your Son has taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen.

Pastor Stan in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer Task Force